The present invention relates to a food package of the type used to contain and display various food products, while being adapted for microwave or conventional oven cooking of the food product contained therein.
It is conventional practice to display meat, poultry, and certain other food products in individual packages which comprise a supporting tray with an absorbent pad of tissue-like paper wadding in the bottom of the tray to absorb any juices or liquids exuded from the food product. A transparent outer plastic wrapping is also usually employed to cover and surround the food product and tray to complete the package.
In an effort to extend the shelf-life of such food products, various and sundry absorbent pads have been proposed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,275,811 and 4,321,997 to Miller disclose an absorbent pad which has been particularly successful in food product packages for absorbing juices or other exuded liquids. The absorbent pad disclosed therein comprises a mat of liquid absorbent material, an upper liquid impermeable plastic sheet overlying the absorbent mat, and a perforated lower plastic sheet underlying the absorbent mat. The upper and lower plastic sheets extend beyond the absorbent mat and are sealed together to enclose the absorbent mat therebetween. When a food product is positioned upon the upper sheet of the absorbent pad, any exuded liquids will flow around the pad and enter the pad by capillary action through the perforations in the lower sheet, and the liquids will be held out of contact with the food product to thereby minimize contamination of the product and maintain its appearance and improve its shelf-life.
Many people consider it desirable to cook food products by microwave energy. It has become increasingly prevalent to cook such food products by placing the food package in a microwave and to cook the food product in the package. It is also considered desirable to cook some food products in the package in conventional ovens. Such a practice with conventional food packages encounters serious problems.
Foremost among these problems is the fact that conventional absorbent pads in such food packages have not been designed nor adapted for microwave or conventional oven cooking. For example, the plastic sheets of such absorbent pads are not able to withstand the high temperatures, e.g. 300.degree. F. or higher, encountered in microwave or conventional cooking. Those absorbent pads which have been previously proposed for microwave cooking have been incapable of absorbing simultaneously water and juices normally exuded by such food products during display, storage and the like and the fats, oils or greases exuded by such food products during cooking thereof. With such prior microwave cooking pads, the absorption of water or other juices hinders or interferes with the absorption of the oils, fats or greases or vice versa.
Another distinct problem with prior absorbent pads is substantial or significant reverse migration of exudants. Prior absorbent pads may absorb more exudants during display, storage, etc. than they can retain during microwave cooking. Such excess exudants are then released from the absorbent pads and tend to contaminate the inside of the food package or migrate back to the food product. In certain instances, enough water or juices may be released to "boil" the food product during cooking.